TEMPORARY WORK VISAS

A Temporary Work visa is a popular choice for applicants who wish to come to work and live in Canada as soon as possible. Within the first half of 2013, over 500,000 worker visa applications has been approved. This visa will allow applicants to work and live in Canada, and gain Canadian work experience. The Federal government’s expansive Temporary Foreign Worker Program allows eligible foreign workers to work in Canada for an authorized period of time if their employers can demonstrate that they are unable to find suitable Canadians/permanent residents to fill the jobs and that the entry of these workers will not have a negative impact on the Canadian labour market.

Foreign workers for all types of businesses and with a wide range of skills can be recruited to meet temporary labour shortages. Once granted, work visa holder will be allowed to come and work in Canada for the designated employer in the specified role. Accompanying partners and children may also be eligible to work and study.

Some temporary workers require a work visa and some do not. For some categories of workers, visas are approved more quickly. The requirements and processing times depend on the sort of work the applicant will do when they come to Canada.

To be employed in Canada, foreign workers must generally obtain a positive Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) Opinion from Service Canada, unless the work category is exempt from the LMIA process.

A Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) confirms that the Canadian employer is authorized to employ a foreign worker. Thereafter, foreign workers must generally apply for a work visa at a Canadian visa office abroad. Depending on the type of work they will undertake in Canada and where they have resided in the last year, foreign workers may also require a medical examination before entering Canada.

TEMPORARY WORK VISAS

Once a Temporary Work visa has been issued, a Temporary Worker visa holder will be allowed to live and work in Canada for a specified period of time, generally between 6 months and 2 years. The spouse and children may also be eligible to work and study during the stay. While dependent on the specific job offer, it may be possible to extend the Temporary Work visa for workers seeking to continue working in Canada.

A Foreign Worker may also be eligible to have their application for permanent residence processed during their temporary stay in Canada, allowing them to become permanent residents of Canada, once the application is approved.